Yes, in retrospect the idea of linking Cardiff with Bristol by an underwater tunnel is rather an odd notion.

But is it any odder than the idea of cable cars over Cardiff, a plan which is apparently being supported – with a straight face – by Nigel Roberts, head of Cardiff Business Council?

Or the idea of building over a bus station next door to the railway station, to clear space for some offices? What about closing down a well-used recycling centre and turning it into a “bus interchange”, which will be of no conceivable use to anyone? Yet seemingly our own Labour council supports these wild and woolly ideas.

As for the “ball’s eye view” rugby camera, well, that is not so very fanciful, is it? I thought your story about Kenwyne Jones going on loan to Bournemouth was probably more far-fetched. Yet apparently, that one is true...

Gareth Bennett

Canton, Cardiff

Condemnation is rich indeed

I note another Plaid-centric letter from Mr A Davies (Feedback, April 2).

He states “we have two Plaid Cymru councillors who have worked hard to look after us” when both of them do not sit on a single council committee and miss many of the monthly council meetings. At around a grand a pop it’s pretty rich to condemn others as part-time when they do that.

He also says “Labour councillor... has not shown his face at one single Pact meeting, he complains that a referendum costs £5,000 yet his party has written off £4.4m of our money, another reason why Waungron closed”.

Let’s break this statement down:

Pact meetings in Fairwater are politicised. I stopped attending in November 2012 when Plaid bussed in supporters from across Cardiff, making it impossible for me to participate.

I prefer to work closely with the excellent PCs and PCSOs in my ward to resolve issues such as anti-social behaviour – all of them a credit to the force.

I did not and do not ridicule (as Mr Davies implies) anyone wishing to re-open a convenient local depot. I found it incredibly convenient myself and I will still press for my preferred third-sector re-use and recycle facility as plan B should the transport hub not come to fruition.

In their abusive and misleading leaflets, Plaid did not tell voters that referendums are NOT binding nor did they explain the sheer scale of the government cuts to council budgets that would need council tax to TRIPLE to plug the losses and maintain services at the 2012 level.

They also claimed fly-tipping had increased and recycling had fallen when they clearly had not. In fact, the depot was so important that Plaid forgot to include it in their alternative budget proposals last month.

In other words, Plaid are now organising polls diverting £5k each time from a cash-strapped council to publicise a general election candidate.

As for the cricket club write-off, we were lumbered with that massive unsecured loan by a previous Liberal Democrat administration which was actually increased by more than a million when Councillor McEvoy was deputy leader.

Trying to blame the current administration is therefore mischievous, especially as a current write-off had no relevance to a previous budget decision to close the depot.

Many people in Cardiff East will recall how Coun McEvoy, as deputy leader, responded to a much bigger referendum (4,700 in the wards at 28% turnout conducted over the same hours) on Rumney Rec.

He ignored it completely and his administration then squandered resources, frustrating the residents’ secondary attempts to get a village green status.

When you realise that this was a referendum asking the council NOT to build on green spaces in Cardiff East, then the two hypocrisies could not be greater.

He even went one further and on May 5, 2009, wrote a letter to the Echo condemning campaigners as “morons, thugs, liars and cowards”.

If this is what you want to “rescue” you, Mr Davies, then I suggest you pack a spare lifebelt.

Councillor Paul Mitchell, Labour Councillor for Fairwater

Money poured down the drain

It is surely only a matter of time before Cardiff’s long-suffering council taxpayers are faced with another big bill.

I refer to the cost of unblocking all the drains down which most of our elected representatives are pouring millions of pounds of OUR money.

Latest example: two million pounds spent (wasted) on reducing the size of wheeliebins, the knock-on effect of which will be overflowing bins, attracting vermin and bird life.

When are the next municipal elections?

Norman Rendle

Rhiwbina, Cardiff

An invitation to Come on Board

I am the chair of Tai Calon Community Housing, based in Blaenau Gwent.

I am one of 550 board members currently sitting on a housing association board, giving my time to help make a difference to Welsh communities.

The work is challenging, but very rewarding. That’s why I’m highlighting the “Come on Board” campaign, recently launched by Community Housing Cymru (CHC), the representative body for Welsh housing associations.

Come on Board aims to attract more people with appropriate skills and experience to become housing association board members.

Board membership offers opportunities to use and grow your own knowledge and skills for the benefit of tenants and the communities in which they live.

Housing associations are not-for-profit businesses which provide homes and housing related services to 10% of the Welsh population.

The sector collectively spent £1bn in the economy in 2014, with 80% of that spend retained in Wales.

It also created 8,400 jobs for people employed on a full-time basis and for every one person directly employed, one and a half other jobs are supported in the economy.

Apart from chairing Tai Calon’s board, I currently run my own company and hold several public appointments.

I previously worked for the Welsh Government as a senior civil servant.

The experience and knowledge I gained from these roles is being put to good use in helping Tai Calon to deliver excellent services for tenants and preparing for future challenges.

I am sure there are many of you who could offer your particular skills and expertise to a housing association board and I have no doubt that you would find this a personally rewarding experience.

You would also receive a lot back. I have certainly been on a learning and development journey in my capacity as chair.

I have also made friends with people from a variety of backgrounds whom I greatly respect.

Furthermore, I feel I am trying to make a difference to people’s lives.

Board membership is open to people from all walks of life, ages, abilities, experience and vocations.

If you want to make a difference to Welsh communities and influence the work of housing associations, while gaining new skills and experiences, you should definitely “Come on Board”.